WEBVTT BRAKE LIGHTS ARE A FAMILIAR SITEWHETHER YOU'RE HEADING NORTH ORSOUTH ON THE BRENT SPENCEBRIDGE.JAY GOSSETT HAS SEEN THEM HISWHOLE LIFE.>> I'M 31.PRETTY MUCH SINCE I'VE BEEN BORNI THINK WE NEEDED A BRIDGE.AND IT KEEPS GETTING PUSHED DOWNTHE LINE.AND I'M JUST CONCERNED LONG TERMTHAT SOMETHING BAD WILL HAPPENON THE BRIDGE IF WE DON'T DOSOMETHING TO ALLEVIATE THEISSUES THAT WE'RE HAVING.TODD TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC FLOW,TRAFFIC ENGINEER BOB YEAGER SAYSA SECOND BRIDGE NEEDS TO GO UPNEXT TO THE BRENT SPENCE, WHICHWOULD REMAIN IN USE.>> THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITHTHE BRIDGE, WE'RE JUSTOVER-USING IT.TODD: YEAGER IS PLEASED THAT ANEW YEAR-LONG STUDY CONFIRMSWHAT HE'S BEEN SAYING FOR YEARSTHAT A NEW BRIDGE IS ANECESSITY.THE STUDY ALSO SAYS THE CONCEPTOF AN EASTERN CORRIDOR SHOULD BEEXPLORED>> THE IDEA IS WE NOW KNOW WHATTHE NEED IS.AND WE KNOW EVERYTHING EXCEPTWHERE THE MONEY IS GOING TO COMEFROM.TODD: MONEY IS NO SMALL ISSUE.THE BRIDGE PROJECT IS EXPECTEDTO COST AROUND $2.5 BILLION.THE EASTERN CORRIDOR, BILLIONSMORE.STEVE FRANK, FORMER VICE MAYOROF COVINGTON, IS NOT IMPRESSEDWITH TODAY'S REPORT>> TRAFFIC HAS NOT INCREASED ATALL IN THE LAST 10 YEARS.IT'S FLAT.TODD: FRANK SAYS NEW TECHNOLOGYWILL HELP DRIVERS BETTERNAVIGATE THE BRENT SPENCE IN THECOMING YEARS.>> THERE'S JUST GOING TO BE NEWTECHNOLOGY THAT'S GOING TO MAKEANY NEED FOR A SECOND BRIDGE INTHE FUTURE ANTIQUATED AT BEST. TODD: FRANK ALSO WORRIES ABOUTTHE IMPACT A NEW BRIDGE WOULDHAVE ON COVINGTON'S ECONOMY.BUT IN JAY GOSSETT'S OPINION,BUSINESS WORRIES TAKE A BACKSEATTO CONCERNS ABOUT SAFETY.>> IT'S WAY WORSE IF SOMETHINGCATASTROPHIC HAPPENS.AND A LOSS OF LIFE IS NOT WORTHTHE BUSINESSES.TODD: TRAFFIC ENGINEER BOBYEAGER SAYS IF KENTUCKY, OHIOAND POSSIBLY, THE FEDS COULDFIGURE OUT A WAY TO RAISE THEMORE THAN $2 BILLION TO PAY FOTHE PROJECT, A COMPANION BRIDGETO THE BRENT SPENCE COULD BE INPLACE BY 202

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"I'm 31," Gossett said. "Pretty much since I've been born I've thought we needed a bridge. And it keeps getting pushed down the line. And I'm just concerned long term that something bad will happen on the bridge if we don't do something to alleviate the issues that we're having."

To improve traffic flow, Bob Yeager, a lead engineer for Kentucky's transportation cabinet, said a second bridge needs to go up next to the Brent Spence, which would remain in use.

"The idea is we now know what the need is," Yeager said. "We know everything except where the money is going to come from."

Money is no small issue. The bridge project is expected to cost around $2.5 billion. An eastern corridor would cost billions more.

Steve Frank, former vice mayor of Covington, is not impressed with Tuesday's report.

"Traffic has not increased at all in the last 10 years," Frank said. "It's flat."

Frank said new technology will help drivers better navigate the Brent Spence bridge in the coming years.

"There's just going to be new technology that's going to make any need for a second bridge in the future antiquated, at best," he said.

Frank also worries about the impact a new bridge would have on Covington's economy.

But in Jay Gossett's opinion, business worries take a backseat to concerns about safety.

"It's way worse if something catastrophic happens," Gossett said. "And a loss of life is not worth the businesses."

Yeager said if Kentucky, Ohio and, possibly, federal lawmakers were to figure out a way to raise the money needed to pay for the new bridge in the coming weeks or months, a companion bridge to the Brent Spence could be in place by 2024.